Jharkhand ex-CM Champai Soren on joining BJP: ‘Bangladeshi infiltration a big problem’
Former Jharkhand CM Champai Soren will join the BJP on August 30.
Former Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren on Tuesday revealed why he decided to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
In an X post, Soren said,"Last week (18th August) I had put forth my views in front of the people of the entire country including Jharkhand through a letter. After that, I kept meeting the people of Jharkhand and trying to know their opinion. The people of Kolhan region stood with me at every step, and they rejected the option of taking sanyaas."
“There was no such forum/platform in the party where I could express my pain and leaders senior to me are away from politics due to health reasons,” he added.
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Soren listed Bangladeshi infiltration as a “big problem” in the Santhal Pargana region of Jharkhand, the state carved out of Bihar in 2000.
“What can be more unfortunate than the fact that these infiltrators are occupying the lands of the descendants of those heroes who never accepted slavery of the foreign British in the fight for water, forest and land. Because of them, the dignity of our mothers, sisters and daughters who consider brave women like Phool-Jhano as their ideal is in danger,” Soren added.
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“If these intruders, who are causing economic and social harm to the tribals and natives, are not stopped, the existence of our society in Santhal Pargana will be in danger. In many areas including Pakur, Rajmahal, their number has become more than that of tribals. Apart from politics, we have to make this issue a social movement, only then the existence of tribals will be saved,” the former chief minister further alleged.
Champai Soren, who will join the BJP on August 30, said that only the ruling party at the Centre is serious on the issue and other parties are ignoring for votes.
“Therefore, in this struggle to save the identity and existence of the tribals, I have decided to join the Bharatiya Janata Party, expressing faith in the leadership of the Honorable Prime Minister Mr. @narendramodi and Home Minister Mr. @AmitShah ji,” he added.
The 67-year-old leader had served as the chief minister of Jharkhand after Hemant Soren was forced to resign on January 31 before being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case.
After helming the state for little over four months, Champai Soren had to step down for the JMM chief to be sworn in as CM again.
Shah accused Hemant Soren of ‘land and love jihad’
Champai Soren is not the only leader to have raised the issue of tribal population allegedly decreasing in Jharkhand.
On July 20, Union home minister Amit Shah alleged that thousands of illegal immigrants are marrying tribal women, obtaining certificates, and buying land in Jharkhand, which will reduce the population of tribals in the future.
“If anywhere in the country the population of tribals is reducing, it is only in Jharkhand. If the people of Jharkhand vote the Bharatiya Janata Party to power, a white paper will be brought in to secure their land, population, and reservation,” the minister had said.